Justine or the Misfortunes of Virtue

At the age of twelve the lovely and pious Justine sets out on her amazing voyage after becoming orphaned and impoverished. Her unwavering faith and innocent trust in everyone she meets predispose her to sexual exploitation and martyrdom from the start. Sade's conviction in the superiority of nature over civilization is demonstrated by the never-ending list of misfortunes that she experiences while being subjected to a variety of deviant behaviours. Justine will suffer as violence and crime take control because virtue cannot stand up to vice.